JANUARY 2021

BY ANDREW BOTT

EVENT ASSISTANTS:
CHURCHILL ONUMONU & EVANGELIA MITSA
DISCOVER AN INSIDE VIEW ON START-UP
INVESTMENT
Start-up investment or raising finance is often an opaque hidden mystery to most
seeking it. Our elite panels of investment industry insiders will shine a spotlight
on this process. This rare inside view will educate, entertain and give you solid
advice from those who know.
GET FUNDED
January 18th, 2021
5:45pm - 9:00pm EASTERN TIME
(2:45pm PST, 10:45pm GMT)

5:45pm-6pm
Doors Open: Welcome by Andrew Bott

6pm-7:30pm
Start-up Pitches and Feedback from Judges
Start-ups pitch to judges for Investment and are given feedback from our judges who are all currently investors. Investors from around
the world attend and watch the pitches, and start-ups/investors have the chance to network and build their deal flow.

6pm-6:45pm
“VC Advice - Customer Acquisition”
This panel will focus on the importance of customer acquisition strategy for a VC, when it comes to a pitch or business plan from a start-
up. Why do investors care, and what should start-ups think about customer acquisition that they aren’t? Learn from experienced investors.

“Find Investors who Bring Value”

Although most entrepreneurs believe that the most important consideration is to find an investor who writes a check, it’s even more
important to find investors who bring value to your company. The panelists will emphasize the benefits of working with investors who
can offer value to your industry, who are passionate about your work and vision, and how to spot the best investors for your team.

6:45pm-7:30pm
“VC Advice - Building your Start-up Team”
This panel aims to present the importance of a great team from an investor’s perspective. As most investors say, many times the business
idea might be average, but the team is even more important in the success of a start-up. Join this panel to learn more on how to effectively
build your team and factors you should consider when choosing your colleagues.

“Fundamentals of Valuation”
Understanding how to value your company is one of the most important decisions you will make. How do you value an early-stage
company? What impact does industry or business model make on valuation? Attend this panel to learn the fundamentals of valuing your
company at different stages of your start-up journey.

7:30pm-8:15pm
“Angel Investment Advice”
Our most wanted panel is back. This panel aims to introduce you to four angel investors and allow you to learn more about the way they
invest, listen to their insights, market trends and address any questions.

“Funding Founders of Color: Where we Stand and What’s Next”

We welcome four investors who support diverse founders and will have a frank conversation about what the industry is doing, what it
should be doing, what systemic changes need to be made and what should be the direction of diverse funding the upcoming years. Join
this panel if you want to learn more about diverse founders or want to know how someone can reach those investors.

8:15pm-9pm
Video Networking
Our software allows attendees to be matched automatically every 5 minutes in 1:1 video chats! Network, make connections, and find
opportunities through some great conversations
 Pitch Night Start-ups
JAN 18TH| 6 PM - 7:30 PM EST

REMITRIX
APHRODITE Industry: InsurTech
Industry: Big Data/ Analytics/ Fintech Country: Israel
Country: US Company LinkedIn link
Company LinkedIn: link Amount Raising: $2,000,000
Amount raising: $50,000 left of $200k pre-seed
BIO INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES (DBA
KOMBUCHA TENZR HEALTH Industry: HealthTech/ Digital
Industry: Natural Food & Beverages Health/ Medical Devices
Country: USA Country: Canada
Company LinkedIn: link Company LinkedIn link
Amount raising: $1,500,000 Amount raising: $500,000 - $300k already committed

CLUBIFY EXOS AEROSPACE SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGIES

Industry: B2B SaaS/ AI/ EdTech Industry: Space
Country: US Country: US, Italy & Australia
Company LinkedIn: link Company LinkedIn link
Amount raising: $1,500,000 Amount raising: $1M bridge Private offering Round-
CHANTY $30M Air-Launch
Industry: Telecommunications/ Productivity,
Community UMBROSYS INC.
Country: Switzerland Industry: HealthTech/ Wellness/ Wearable
Company LinkedIn link Country: USA
Amount raising: $1,500,000 Company LinkedIn link
Amount raising: $250,000
ZELGOR
Industry: Video Games/ Mobile Games/ TARGEGARD
Entertainment
Industry: InnsurTech/Automobile
Company LinkedIn link
Country: USA
Country: US
Amount raising: $600,000
Amount raising: $535,000
 “Judges for Live Pitch Event”
JAN 18TH | 6 PM – 7:30 PM EST
Reuben Levinsohn
FOUNDING PARTNER, WASHINGTON AVENUE VENTURES
Podcast Recommendation: Masters of Scale podcast by Reid Hoffmans
Book Recommendation: Start-Up Nation by Dan Senor and Saul Singer

Reuben is an entrepreneur at heart. He founded several companies and had his first exit at age
30. At that point Reuben started investing in early stage companies and have recently taken an
active investor / advisor role in a couple startups, one which just graduated the Fall 2020
Techstars cohort.

Jessica Karr
VENTURE PARTNER, REPUBLIC
Book Recommendation: It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into
Your Greatest Advantage by Arlan Hamilton

Jessica's work integrates Venture Capital, Biotechnology, and Business Strategy. Formerly,
Jessica helped build a pilot fund for a conscious celebrity to invest in positive impact; she worked
for 6+ years designing and launching the Impossible burger as the 12th employee; and she has
developed product strategies with innovative startups internationally. She is passionate about
science-driven consumer products that improve the human experience and our relationship to
the earth.

Maya Hassa
ASSOCIATE, INERJYS VENTURES
Book Recommendation: Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows

Maya has over 2 years of experience as a research associate at an emerging cleantech-

focused venture group in Montreal. Her background consists of 3 years of in-the-field work,
researching biogeochemical processes, and she holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science
with a concentration in Renewable Resource Management. While attending McGill University,
she conducted research for the university’s Carbon Neutrality Proposal, managed a venture
investment initiative, and ran a sustainable development project in the Peruvian Amazon.

Renée Niemi
PARTNER, MIGHTY CAPITAL VC
Book Recommendation: Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Renee is a Partner at Mighty Capital, a boutique venture firm here in Silicon Valley that invests
in startups that are in the early-growth stage, primarily in the B2B SAAS and Life Sciences areas.
She has spent most of her career creating high impact products and businesses that make a
difference in consumers’ lives. Currently, Renee is the Chairman of the Board for Scientific
Adventure for Girls and a Director on the Board of Via Global Health. She has also held a number
of product and executive leadership roles at Logitech, Google and Plantronics. Renee holds a
BS in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University.
 “VC Advice - Customer Acquisition”
JAN 18TH| 6 PM – 6:45 PM EST
Vera Schroeder
ASSOCIATE, SAFAR PARTNERS
Book Recommendation: Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture
Capitalist by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson

Vera Schroeder is an early stage tech investor at Safar Partners. As an associate at Safar, Vera
evaluates and mentors’ entrepreneurs, conducts diligence, and supports portfolio companies.
In addition to her work at Safar, Vera is a Board member and officer at MIT's Social
Entrepreneurship Alumni Group and mentor with the Junior Achievement of Northern New
England. Vera earned a PhD in chemistry from MIT specializing in nanoscience and materials
science.

Mac Conwell
MANAGING DIRECTOR, RAREBREED VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Business of Venture Capital by Mahendra Ramsinghani

McKeever "Mac" Conwell II is the founder and managing partner of RareBreed Ventures. Mac is
a former software engineer who held a top secrete clearance and two-time founder. One of
Mac's companies failed, the other went on to a successful exit. Mac also started the first state
backed pre-seed fund for women and minority-led startups.

Nicolas Von Blottnitz

INVESTOR, E.VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Lean Startup by Eric Rease

Nicolas is an investor at the global venture capital firm e.ventures, where he focuses on high-
growth consumer internet and SaaS companies out of San Francisco. He has sourced the firm’s
investments in Flockjay, Grin, Polygon, Wise, and Codota. He also works closely on the firm’s
data analysis efforts; he has helped to develop e.venture's proprietary financial analytics tool
Athena and supports e.ventures portfolio companies with running proprietary financial
analysis/forecasts on a periodic basis.

Mikihiro Yasuda
FOUNDING PARTNER, HIKE VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Hard Things About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Hike Ventures has invested in 29 startups past 3 years. Our focus is applied AI startups at the
seed stage.
 “Find Investors who Bring Value”
JAN 18TH | 6 PM - 6:45 PM EST
Lauren Dines
VENTURE ANALYST, AMERICAN FAMILY VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Hard Things About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Currently a venture analyst assisting in deal diligence, supporting, and other fund related duties.
Deal diligence ranges from market sizing/TAM/SAM to team write-ups [of the startup] for memos
presented at Investment Committee meetings. Previously Lauren interned at Morgan Stanley in
Equity Sales & Trading and Courtside Ventures.

Eli Velasquez
BOARD MEMBER, ANGEL CAPITAL ASSOCIATION
Reading Recommendation: Media Outlets (including Forbes and WSJ) and attending
conferences

Eli is co-founder of the Investors of Color Network, a national network of Black and Latinx
accredited investors across the U.S. focused on closing the racial funding gap in early-stage
capital. He is also supporting the NIH RADx initiative with the commercialization of COVID
diagnostics technologies. He currently serves as a Board Member on the Angel Capital
Association, Capital Advisor to the Stanford Latino Business Action Network, and US Senator
for the World Business Angel Forum. He is an investor in Portfolia’s Rising American Fund, and
founding Board Advisor to AccelHub Venture Partners and the Business Angel Minority
Association (BAMA)

Adam J. Simons
INVESTOR, ADVISOR, BOARD MEMBER
Business Moto: Don’t Read About It, Do It

Adam Simons has been working hands-on as an investor, adviser, and board member to start
ups and emerging companies all over the world for years. He likes working with interesting
founders who are building real businesses that solve real needs. Adam usually gets involved
early in a company’s life cycle and is industry agnostic .

Matilda Sung
GENERAL PARTNER, LUDIS CAPITAL
Book Recommendation: Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson

Matilda is an investor with over 20 years of business experience and has held leadership roles
at the NFL (National Football League), McKinsey & Co, and PayPal. She is currently a General
Partner at Ludis Capital, which is focused on early stage investments in the sports tech category.
She also invests in early stage companies on behalf of her family office, Sung Capital Partners.
Yating Xia
SENIOR STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT MANAGER, TLC INDUSTRIES
Book Recommendation: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Yating is a Senior Strategy and Investment Manager at TCL Industries - one of the largest
consumer electronic companies in the world. She invests in early and growth stage companies
in emerging spaces such as AI, IoT, and digital media. Prior to TCL, she was an advisor at PwC’s
Deals Practice, focusing on deal valuation and strategy consulting, and had extensive
experience supporting multibillion-dollar M&A deals.
 “VC Advice – Building your Startup Team”
JAN 18TH | 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM EST

Lauren Dines
VENTURE ANALYST, AMERICAN FAMILY VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Hard Things About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Andrew Bott is the Founder of MeetFounders.co - His core mission is building relationships with
investors like you, helping industry experts to share their knowledge, and assisting great start-
ups seeking investment.

Kyle Schlotman
FOUNDING PARTNER & CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, CEO , CONNETIC VENTURES
Book Recommendation: Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H.
Thaler & Bad Blood: Secrets and Lie in Silicon Valley by John Carreyrou

Kyle Schlotman is a 2008 graduate of Indiana University and the Kelley School of Business where
he majored in Finance, Entrepreneurship and Legal Studies. After Indiana University he went
onto work for JP Morgan and Sagent Advisors as an Investment Banking Analyst with a focus
on Retail and Healthcare. Kyle is now a Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer of
Connetic Ventures an early stage venture fund. While at Connetic Ventures Kyle has been
involved in over 60 transactions and multiple exits. He is also a co-founder of Wendal inc. a
proprietary AI solution for screening venture deals as well as analyzing founders and
organizational leaders.

Carey Ransom
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, OPERATE
Book Recommendation: Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Having extensive experience from startup to explosive growth to exit, and having sold a private
company to a public company (while being CEO), Carey is a serial entrepreneur and investor.
As the Founder and President of Operate, my team and I look for entrepreneurs with grit who
are building innovative companies. In all of our portfolio companies, we invest our own capital
and our team's capabilities as senior executives to build amazing companies together. This
unique approach delivers more predictable investment returns and creates more winners for our
investment partners.

Alexander Marquez
GLOBAL MANAGING DIRECTOR & GLOBAL HEAD, EXPERIAN VENTURES
Book Recommendation: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Alex is Global Managing Director & Global Head of Experian Ventures and a member of
Experians Investment Committee. As a leading global information services company, providing
data and analytical tools to our clients around the world, we invest in data/analytics, information
security, healthcare, automotive and the broader financial services ecosystem. The Experian
Ventures portfolio of investments includes AireLabs, AxiaMed, BankBazaar, CompareAsia
Group, Bonify, C88, Canopy, Cazana, InfoSum, Madaket Health, Finicity, Grab, Jirnexu,
Infosum, Nav, PlaceIQ, RecargaPay, Stackin, TrueData, and TrueAccord.
Danielle D’Agostaro
PRINCIPAL PARTNER, WV VENTURES
Book Recommendation: Hard Things about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Danielle D'Agostaro is the Principal Partner at WV Ventures, a $100M VC joint venture between Advocate
Aurora Health, Foxconn, Johnson Controls, and Northwestern Mutual. Danielle is an experienced operator
with a demonstrated history in early stage startup investments.Prior to WVV, Danielle spent the last 7
years building the Alchemist Accelerator into the leading enterprise accelerator in the country where she
was Managing Partner and COO.
 “Fundamentals of Valuation”
JAN 18TH | 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM EST
Emily Wu
PRINCIPAL, LUMIA CAPITAL
Book Recommendation: Zero to One by Peter Thiel

A lawyer by training, Emily has advised businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 100s on
corporate strategy, investment law, and business development. She has worked on three
continents and helped charities around the world raise $150,000+ in donations.

Dave Mullen
INVESTOR, SVB CAPITAL
Book Recommendation: Venture Deals by Brad Feld & Zero to One by Peter Thiel & The
Secrets of Sand Hill Road by Scott Kupor

Dave Mullen is an Investor at SVB Capital where he is responsible for investing the platform’s
direct investment vehicles. Prior to SVB Capital, Dave was an investor at Wells Fargo Strategic
Capital, the principal investment arm of Wells Fargo where he focused on venture growth
investments in the technology sector. Dave currently serves as a lead of the EVCA’s PropTech
vertical, where he focuses on technology in the physical world around us, having invested
extensively in the category including prior investments in Homebound, Proxy, Clutter,
Industrious, Zibo, and Roofstock, while serving as an advisor to startups Chunker, Placemake.io,
and MuvnDay.

Yash Thukral
FOUNDING PARTNER, WHITE LION CAPITAL LLC
Book Recommendation: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Yash Thukral’s investing experience started when he was studying at UC San Diego where he
raised $25M for his venture fund. Since then he’s had multiple exits and raised another fund that
focuses on finding hidden gems in distressed markets.

Dr Ruchi Dana
ADVISOR, LOYAL VC
Book Recommendation: Venture Deals by Brad Feld

Dr Ruchi Dana is a medical doctor and a Stanford MBA. Ruchi sits on multiple Corporate, startup,
non-profits and University boards. Apart from Loyal VC, MBX Capital and Dana Family office,
Ruchi has also worked with Golden Seeds, an investment firm in New York and New Silk Route
Growth Capital, a PE firm in Dubai, she has mainly focused on healthcare-related investments
at most of these firms.
 “Angel Investment Advice”
JAN 18TH | 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM BST

Kae Huynh
ANGEL INVESTOR, ENTERPRISEGUY
Book Recommendation: Survival to Thrival: Building the Enterprise Startup by Bob Tinker

Kae is an active angel investor located in Silicon Valley with an investment thesis around
everything software. With his specialized niche in enterprise software, most of the valley knows
him as the EnterpriseGuy. You can find him regularly lecturing on investments each Sunday
morning with upwards of 100+ investor attendees as well as constantly building his capacity to
support his portfolio companies.

Betty Francisco
GENERAL COUNSEL, COMPASS WORKING CAPITAL & MEMBER, PIPELINE ANGELS
Book Recommendation: The Art of Startup Fundraising: Pitching Investors, Negotiating the
Deal, and Everything Else Entrepreneurs Need to Know by Alejandro Cremades & Black
Angels Among Us: A Quick Start Guide to Angel Investing by Dr. Shante Williams

Betty is an angel investor and entrepreneur with over 20 years of business, legal and risk
management experience. She began angel investing through Pipeline Angels, a network of new
and seasoned women investors, that is changing the face of angel investing and creating capital
for women and non-binary femme social entrepreneurs. She is an investor in several female-led
start-ups, including Allergy Amulet, CNote, FitReserve, Mi Padrino, Unruly Studios, and Vidcode.
She is also an investor in the Portfolia Enterprise Fund, FemTech Fund and Rising America Fund.

Stergios Anastasiadis
FOUNDER, SEA AND SAND FOUNDATION & ANGEL INVESTOR
Book Recommendation: Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows

Investment focus is Deep Tech, Clean Energy, Shipping and EdTech. Invest as an Angel Investor
in startups directly, prefer Lead, and also in VC Funds. Current geography focus is Canada and
South Eastern Europe. Love to assist the teams in product and technology considerations, as
well as team building.

Tracie Rotter
FORMER PARTNER, GV (GOOGLE VENTURES) & ANGEL INVESTOR, ADVISOR
Book Recommendation: Sprint by Jake Knapp

Tracie is a former Partner at GV (Google Ventures). She co-founded GV's Partnership

practice, working with companies from seed to exit on business development and strategic
investment. An angel investor and advisor, Tracie focuses on both enterprise and consumer
technologies that are changing the end-user experience.
 “Funding Founders of Color: Where we Stand and
What’s Next”
JAN 18TH | 7:30 PM - 8:15 PM BST
Eli Velasquez
BOARD MEMBER, ANGEL CAPITAL ASSOCIATION
Reading Recommendation: Media Outlets (including Forbes and WSJ) and attending
conferences

Eli is co-founder of the Investors of Color Network, a national network of Black and Latinx
accredited investors across the U.S. focused on closing the racial funding gap in early-stage
capital. He is also supporting the NIH RADx initiative with the commercialization of COVID
diagnostics technologiesHe currently serves as a Board Member on the Angel Capital
Association, Capital Advisor to the Stanford Latino Business Action Network, and US Senator
for the World Business Angel Forum. He is an investor in Portfolia’s Rising American Fund, and
founding Board Advisor to AccelHub Venture Partners and the Business Angel Minority
Association (baMa).

Dan Malek
MANAGING PARTNER, UNOVIS ASSET MANAGEMENT & NEW CROP CAPITAL
Book Recommendation: Damn Good Advice by George Lois

Dan Altschuler Malek is a Managing Partner at Unovis Asset Management, a global investment
firm that provides early-stage funding to entrepreneurs developing plant-based and cultured
meat alternatives to foods derived from conventional animal agriculture including beef, chicken,
pork, dairy, egg, fish and shellfish products. The Unovis team has invested in more than 40
companies including Beyond Meats, Memphis Meats, BlueNalu, Good Catch, Nova Meats,
Alpha Foods, Zero Egg, Aleph Farms, and Miyoko’s. As Managing Partner, Dan heads the firm's
activities in North America and Israel exploring deal- flow, creating strategic opportunities, and
working with founders to solve daily challenges and evaluate strategic decisions.

Leah Nguyen
INVESTMENT DIRECTOR, TELUS POLLINATOR FUND
Book Recommendation: It’s about Damn Time by Arlan Hamilton & The Ride of a Lifetime
by Robert Iger

Leah is an Investment Director for the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, which brings a dual-
lens approach to investing in the next generation of startups that are leveraging technology to
build solutions that drive positive social, health, and/or environmental outcomes. She drove the
strategy and execution for launching the Pollinator Fund, and now leads sourcing, evaluating,
and executing investment opportunities. Leah has held different roles at TELUS, most recently
she was with TELUS Ventures, one of Canada’s longest standing and most active corporate
venture funds where she helped to identify and source investments to drive growth into new
markets while also serving as a strategic advisor to other TELUS units.

Ollie Howie
INVESTOR, SB OPPORTUNITY FUND & VENTURE PARTNER, NEXTGEN VENTURE
PARTNERS
Book Recommendation: Venture Deals by Brad Feld

Ollie has made investments in the healthcare, information technology, fintech, and gaming
sectors totaling over $200M in deployed venture capital.